Team U.S. Athletes Reveal What Prince Harry’s Invictus Games Mean to Them (Exclusive)

Mike Murphy

“For me, it’s life-changing. The power of sport, the Invictus Games and the whole Warrior Games and adaptive sports is truly what saved my life,” says Michael Murphy, who goes by Mike and previously competed at the Invictus Games The Hague in 2022.

“I’m blessed to come here for a second time returning for winter sports. I was able to do summer sports [the] first time, and now I get to come and try a different craft and just show the world what is possible.”

Family and Camaraderie

Murphy, 34, became visually impaired after an airfield accident in 2018, and says Invictus is “way bigger than competition.”

“It’s family, it’s camaraderie, and it’s truly just inspiration,” says the retired Army Staff Sgt., who is competing in snowboarding, skeleton, indoor rowing and swimming at the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler.

“Everything they’ll let me do,” he jokes to PEOPLE.

Leandra Moehring

“I am very excited to be here, especially with it being the first Winter Invictus Games. When I found out that I made the team, I was literally jumping up and down, and I was crying. I could still cry about it. It’s just really exciting,” says Leandra Moehring. 

‘Just the Beginning’

“Adaptive sports has saved my life, truly. It’s life-changing,” explains Moehring, 28. “I know a lot of us can relate to the mental health struggles following injuries or diagnoses or just getting out of the service. I think a lot of people would look at an injury as the end of their time, whether that’s their career or athletics or whatever. They look at it as the end. But really that was just the beginning, because without that happening, I wouldn’t be here.”

Moehring is participating in Nordic skiing, skeleton, swimming and rowing at Invictus in British Colombia, taking on two of Invictus’ new winter sports.

Bryce Ewing

Bryce Ewing tells PEOPLE that it’s “truly such an honor” to compete for her country at Invictus. 

“I went out for Army trials, and I didn’t quite make Warrior Games, but I made Invictus, and I’m so glad I did. Even though I didn’t go to War Games, this is way bigger than I could ever imagine. Just knowing that I’m with my comrades, my brothers and sisters again, because I’ve been out since 2017, so I don’t really get the opportunities to be around them a lot,” says Ewing, 34. “Just meeting everybody from all the other nations and just coming as one.”

More Than Words

Ewing medically retired from the military after navigating a breast cancer diagnosis, and cites adaptive sports as a joy in her life.

“Just walking out there today was just amazing. Oh, I can’t even explain it. Adaptive sports has really changed my life, and I’m just so glad to be here,” she tells PEOPLE, and will spend the week competing in snowboarding, swimming, indoor rowing and sitting volleyball.

Christopher Bryde

“For me, the Invictus Games was largely about just trying to be a good example to a lot of my guys who struggle with suicidal thoughts a lot in my unit,” says Christopher Bryde. 

“So I just thought I’d try to be a positive example and be like, ‘You can go out there. You can do something more rather than just give up,’ ” Bryde, 36, tells PEOPLE about how Invictus fuels his fire. “That’s basically it for me.”

All in on Invictus

Bryde survived an IED explosion during a deployment in Afghanistan, and is representing the U.S. in biathlon, wheelchair rugby, swimming and indoor rowing at his debut Games. 

He tells PEOPLE that his military history created an immediate connection with Prince Harry when they met at Invictus, because “we were both in Afghanistan in 2008.”

“He was a really kind guy,” the competitor says of the Duke of Sussex.